Trophy Whitetail Deer Hunting

Whitetail deer hunting in Texas is an experience rivaled by few others. Our state is a fair sized chunk of real estate, and within its borders lies a sweeping range of beautiful terrain. Different parts of the state feature wildly varied topographies and, therefore, differing vegetations, nutrient availability, and so on. Deer in different parts of Texas therefore vary in body mass, antler growth, and mating periods. Whitetail deer hunting in Texas is as close as you can get to a real sportsman’s paradise, featuring wonderful hunting opportunities for experienced and inexperienced hunters alike.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of whitetail deer hunting in Texas lies within the method of the hunt itself. Due to the stark contrast in terrain across the state, hunters here have many choices when it comes to what kind of whitetail hunting they would like to do, and how they would like to do it. Within hours in all directions are limitless hunting options, and Texas sportsmen are able to select an area of the state that best suits their desired hunting environment.

Hunters in the eastern part of the state approach whitetail deer hunting in Texas very differently from hunters on the western side.  East Texas is blanketed by a thick pine forest, interrupted occasionally by the oak canopies of crisscrossing river bottoms and creek beds.  Whitetails in this part of the state are surrounded by, and very used to, dense cover, and they infrequently venture far from it.  The dense pine thickets prevent effective stalk hunting, so hunters usually stick to trails, crossings, river bottoms or pipelines.  Deep in the cover of East Texas, whitetails are known for relying on their keen senses of smell and hearing, both important factors to consider when planning hunts in this area.

To the west, whitetail deer hunting in Texas is something entirely different.  The terrain is stark, featuring rocky hills, plateaus and canyons sparsely dotted with live oaks.  Being used to such open terrain, whitetails in this area are more likely to leave cover in search of food or water and will frequently travel in larger herds.  While this means that stand hunting over bait is usually highly successful, the open space of West Texas gives more ambitious hunters a chance utilize the hilly topography to stalk and glass for deer.  Unlike the limited sight lines in the eastern pine thickets, out west the only thing limiting shooting distance is the caliber of gun in the hunter’s hand. 

Whitetail deer hunting in Texas, whether in the eastern or western parts of the state, always comes with a consideration of differing rut times.  To the east, the rut begins earliest, putting optimal hunting time somewhere between October and early December.  The further west you go, the later the rut occurs, which, to the far west, can sometimes last through January.  Offset rut times means Texas hunters have even more choice in tailoring their experience and allow for greater flexibility of schedule within the season.

The southern part of the state is legendary in hunting lore.  While whitetail deer hunting in Texas means being able to see a wide variety of deer across different areas of the state, no region produces the kind of deer that consistently come out of the thorny cactus scrub of South Texas.  The deer in this area display all the hallmarks of true Texas trophy whitetails – monster racks that splay open to feature antler width best described as “spacious.”  Some of the biggest deer in the country have been taken from South Texas, and it is a must-hunt for anyone looking to get the most out of whitetail deer hunting in Texas.  This expansive region provides a venue for serious hunters with serious budgets to hunt big-time whitetails, a luxury afforded in only a few parts of the entire country.   When it comes to serious whitetail hunting, it’s all where Gene Autry said it would be – “deep in the heart of Texas.”